Tuesday, December 22, 2015

How do I love my homemade chicken with rice soup, let me count the ways, made Saturday afternoon, had it for supper, then again Sunday for supper, last night then the leftover bit for lunch today. Not bad for 2 skinless boneless chicken breast, carrots, celery and 1 container chicken broth. Have a turkey breast thawing in the fridge for Christmas supper, lots of leftovers, with one of my faves being turkey ala king over toast, then the carcass into the soup pot. Will be ready for another batch about then.

Have 3 pair socks on the needles again, just don't understand how this can happen. For Tammy in NC, the second red sock and another pair of leftovers for Monstersocks, only newly started are the socks for Tammy the rest are older projects.

Lots of tracks out in front of my car this morning either visiting dogs or coyotes, what ever, they were quiet. Usually if it was coyotes they would have been singing. And I haven't a clue what they were looking for.

Don't know how I ever made it thru a really cold spell without my rice bag from Kristie, nuke it for 2.5 minutes and my feet are warm and toasty.

Two pair of socks mailed last Wednesday, first pair arrived in Tappen, BC on Saturday the other not yet.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Got out yesterday to Knitting Bee in Tatla and picked up my produce order while there, first produce in almost 7 weeks, so for supper had salad and a small ham sandwich. Honey ham was in the order. So now for Christmas supper will have a turkey breast, yam, carrot salad and maybe will cook half a spaghetti squash, thus guaranteeing leftovers for several more meals. Then IMHO the best part of the turkey breast is turkey noodle soup.

In the order were two of Tim Horton's Christmas mugs, red & white in almost a knitting themed design, the best they have ever done. Have at least one of the mugs from maybe the last 10 years, perfect size for my one cup of coffee a day.

Next pix is the red sock with mug and skein of Christmas red Heritage wool & silk mix, ball for second sock would not make it so ordered a couple of skeins from Jimmy Beans in Nevada (seems as tho Paradise was out the this color). So my red themed pix.

Yesterdays mail had a Christmas parcel from the brother and SIL from VA. stocking stuffers, so got almost everything into my Christmas stocking took a pix to mail to VA. Have never been tempted to get into pkgs early, also have a bag of goodies from Gail. My gift (for myself) I bought from Amazon.ca were 3 of Arne & Carlos books, not likely they will arrive before 24, last mail day until 30th of December.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Nearly 8 am and still dark enuff that I can't tell if its still snowing, the snow has been coming in waves, never lasts long enuff to put down the feet we need. Last year was a disaster snow wise didn't get enuff to count. Nope can now tell that it is not snowing, but more predicted for tomorrow.

Working on 3 sock project now, a bit every day on each one. The red (AF heel) Monstersocks, a purple pair for Tammy and a toddler pair out of fine handspun (these won't take long) then back to the others. Last year had a deal with a neighbor that when she went to the dump (icy) she would stop and pick up mine maybe every 3 weeks or so, meanwhile I made socks for her then 6 month old granddaughter, got to experiment with new to me patterns and colors and baby had warm feet.

Denise in town picked up some produce for me and got it to Lorelee (also in town), she is headed out here to babysit somebodies place and will deliver produce at Knitting Bee on Wednesday, round about but hey what ever works. Lettuce, tomatoes, yams, cucumbers, plus milk, chicken breasts for soup, and 10 lb carrots from Denise's neighbor (carrot-ginger soup).

Have been destashing some of the older Opal that I have around, knowing that I would never be knitting it, passed it on down the road. Right now am happy with my stash of Cascade Heritage, Hazel Knits, Kid Dazzle. Lorna's Laces and Hawthorne from Knit Picks, almost all in solid or semi solid colors. I then use smaller balls (leftovers) for the patterns in my socks. With CA $ in the toilet and sinking fast am not buying much at all from the states, right now exchange is almost 30%. Only thing I bought was Cascade Heritage wool-silk mix from Jimmy Beans in Christmas red (making sure I had enuff to finish the red Monster socks). When and if CA $ ever goes back up will then replenish my stock of Hazel Knits. Have enuff Koigu to make the gloves on order, bought when CA $ was at par and then traded for still more. Still waiting on the purple from Little Knits, was mailed from Bellingham, WA last Monday or Tuesday via a slow cruise ship, maybe if I am lucky it will be in Wednesdays mail. Only get mail twice a week in this remote mountain valley, PO is about 3-4 miles south.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Got to Tatla Lake for Christmas sale on the 28th, not usually a place that my stuff sells but this year surprised me, sold more there than I ever had. Lots of baby & toddler socks, 3 adult pair and several other small things. So maybe I'll do it again next year.

While waiting for the purple yarn to arrive have gone back to a red pair of Monstersocks started last May, then put in time out while I worked on other projects. Have been unhappy with the heel flap and then decreases needed, messed up patterns and wasn't happy with that. So went back to the afterthought heel, it lets me carry on with my patterns without worrying about the decreases necessary to get right number of stitches. Current sock is Christmas red from Heritage wool & silk with purples, oranges and dark blues. Nearly to the toe decreases on sock #1.

Had another pair on Monstersocks started about the time the afterthought heel bell went off, they are finished except for the AT heel, will I think wait until the 2nd red sock is done then spend part of a day doing heels.

Denise just called and will pick up the new Christmas mugs from Timmies for me, from pix I have seen the nicest mug in the series.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Just came in from shoveling the porch and steps clear of 6 or so inches of new snow, then started on the car, got front windshield and all side windows done, back will do tomorrow. Went out at the warmest part of the day, 18°F, wasn't to bad. Had on my warmest jacket, gloves and a handspun hat, but even with wool socks on my feet got cold. Tomorrows low predicted to be between 6 and 8° below zero F so wanted to get it done today. Then drove car around house and up to the main road, turned around at neighbors drive and came back down, just making sure I could get out. Planning on heading for Tatla tomorrow Knitting Bee, a flu shot at the clinic, and library books to be returned (hopefully I'll find a few to bring home).

Ordered purple yarn from Little Knits big sale, will wait on starting next socks until it arrives, may be early next week. Seems as tho lately everyone wanting socks wants purple, I'd run just about out except for a few small balls. Two slightly different colors one a bit more magenta than the other.

Wish I knew how to have pix show up side by side instead of on top of each other.

Christmas sale in Tatla is this Saturday, I'm planning on going out and sharing a table with Christine from KB. Have a few pair of socks, felted kids slippers, toddler sized socks. When I went to Fiber Fusion I bought a small bag of dyed kid mohair locks, knit two pair of toddler sized socks with finger teased kid knit along with the main yarn, came out just about what I expected and will likely be about the warmest socks ever. One pair with just a contrasting lice pattern.

Thought briefly about thawing a turkey breast for Thursday supper but decided to wait and have it over the weekend, since I'll be gone on Saturday will cook same Sunday, have one yam left, but out of salad stuff, so instead will made a large carrot salad.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Got out the soon to be socks yarn for Tammy in SC, will email pix to her as soon as she replies to message, will be my next start. Then waiting in the queue is a pair of Koigu gloves for same person. Glad now that I bought Koigu when CA dollar was a bit above par with the US $. Worth (almost) its weight in gold.

-14°C (8°F) this morning at just before 7am, with colder temps on the way, am glad for rice bag that Kristie made for me, 2 minutes in micro wave on high and my feet are toasty warm until I fall asleep. Will be using it lots this winter. Even turned down comforter over (down shifts after a while) so had a really good nights sleep even if bedroom was to cold to get dressed in this morning.

Pix of Kristie's granddaughter wearing booties I sent.

And last a pix of Jean MIles in Edinburgh wearing the Koigu gloves I sent (when she needed a lift me up gift), just because.

Have my ice cleats on my low boots for prolly the rest of the winter, better to be safe than sorry. Long gone are the days when I could pop out to car in my Birkies.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

The first snow that is amounting to anything this morning, guessing a good inch plus so far. That's OK its time for winter weather to show up. Temp is just in high 20's but by Thursday night predicted to be down in minus 0 F ranges.

Finally finished another pair of socks, started April 2015 and put aside to work on other projects. The blue main color is vintage stuff from my stash, bought 3 skeins for $9 that should tell how old it is.

Nothing else new and excitingly different in my wild mountain valley. Time tho to keep my eyes open for the big kitties that come to play once snow starts.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Finished the second sock of fraternal pair for Lynne A, first sock wasn't exactly to my colour liking so thought I might have problems doing the second. Changed order of the patterns and in some cases the colours, so that did make it easier to work on.

Then got pix from Jeanette on Vancouver Island of her feet in the socks I sent down with Mel at Desert Mesa. Again fraternal with her colour choice for main colour and then the rest were in my stash.

Next will be a pair for Tammy in SC, socks and a pair of Koigu gloves. Will have to find out if she wants conservative wild or make your eyeballs move wild.

Took a big bowl of soup to Knitting Bee today, with only Joyce, Christine and I there to enjoy it much was leftover so C put it in freezer to bring out next week. I still had enuff here for supper tonight and tomorrow.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Gonna be a long day, up just before 4:30 to racket outside, something was talking way to loud for 0dark thirty, and much to dark to see what it was. So whats to do, get up, make coffee and knit of course. Working on second sock for Lynne A, within one smallish pattern of the heel, with all the football on today and tomorrow hope to get well down the foot (providing hand holds out). Lots of breaks with stretching exercises, hopefully will help.

Low 30's this morning with much colder temps in forecast, sounds like soup weather. Got a pound pkg of extra lean ground beef and have all the veggies needed for a GB based vegetable soup, carrots, kale, cabbage, potato, celery and maybe some squash. Will get started on soup before first football game at 9am, letting the GB simmer for a good part of the day in a jar of home canned stewed tomatoes, veggies added much later.

Had 8 deer running up my driveway yesterday around 8am, looked to be all does. BC Hydro cleared a wide stretch along the east side of my fence so they could get in there with a couple of big trucks to replace a leaning power pole. So now deer coming from the wooden area just above the super hiway are now easily seen. And its wide enuff that when cows are headed for range they can now all funnel thru, then turn at the top and either continue on their journey or turn to come back down this way to do it again. But at least now the cowboys chasing them can get thru and hopefully steer them where they want them to go.

Thinking that I might have company after getting home I bought a few goodies, specialty crackers 2 kinds, fancy cheese (Brie, Boursin and a new one to me Laughing Cow), well company didn't materialize so have been enjoying the cheese & crackers on my own, no hardship at all.

Just finished my second cup of coffee so will head back to my knitting.

Sunday morning
Soup was made and one of my better batches. New follower, welcome Val.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Home yesterday from my annual Cache Creek trip to Desert Mesa, the last fiber event until next spring. It was held this year over Halloween and we were supposed to wear hats instead of costumes, some were wild & crazy and the few that did wear a costume outdid themselves.
Karen B and her very large spider hat and Heather and her wild hat. Lots of other hats but didn't get a pix of them all.

Then two of the costumes, Vonny was the old cowboy and Doris S the bearded wonder.
From the pix everyone can tell we had a really good time, I wonder how some can laff so much and not injure themselves.

Then the pix of the handspun shawl everyone is knitting on from leftover bits of yarn, I have it here to work on over the winter. And a pix of Gudie holding a large skein of her upcycled yarn, knit with some of the odds & sods I give her.

I bought two bundles of Merino-Silk because the fiber I brought with me to spin was so lousy I ended up giving it away, felt like Brillo pads when a bit was done and never have I had fiber with so much stuff in it. Can bet that I won't ever get any more from that source. Then a small bundle of six different colors mini skeins, Merino-Nylon, both fibers from Smith and Ewe in Kamloops.

And finally the first sock for Lynne Anderson, 2nd is underway and will be fraternal.

Now home to hunker down for the winter, got the last little bit from grocery store before leaving the Willie, enuff meds for 3 months, will of course run out of produce, the price I pay for the mountain view.

Friday, October 23, 2015

On my way south had coffee with Kristie and Lynda from Cultus Lake area, we met at Tim Horton's in Chilliwack for show & tell. Was a good visit and of course not near long enuff. And we won't get to do it again until next spring, I'll be heading south for my annual Whidbey Island spin in run.

Trip down to Monroe, WA for FF, it was Saturday and Sunday 17-18 October. This was my first time at FF and I was really impressed with both the size and how smooth events ran. Was way bigger than I thought, lots of new to me vendors, demo's and a food truck right outside the door with fried brussel sprouts with a lime dressing, wonderbar. Ran into an old friend Val from Seattle area there, she flew by on Saturday and came back with her wheel on Sunday. Pix of Gail, Val and me.

Had my knitting with me and took enuff yarn that I easily could make 5 or 6 pair of socks, never ever want to be anywhere with not enuff. Did finish the second sock of 2nd pair for JR on Vancouver Island.

Mailed a pair of gloves to Jean Miles in Edinburgh on 14th October and she had them with yesterdays mail. Just a brighten her day gift. Looking forward to a pix of her wearing them.

Next trip (and the final hurrah for this year) will be down to Cache Creek for Desert Mesa, almost a local event. Just 5.5 hours instead of the usual 10+. Will on the way home stop in at grocery store in Williams Lake for winter is coming order, Kleenex, TP, laundry soap, and then as much fruit and produce that I can eat before it goes bad. As well some canned veggies, bread for the freezer, pasta's for soups, etc.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Just finished the first sock of second pair going to JR on Vanc Island, waiting to hear from her about fraternal or identical. Have just starting ribbing so will be busy with that for awhile. The main color is teal and pix just doesn't show it true. Most of the rest of the colors are leftovers from other projects.

Have 8 odd skeins of mostly heavy weight DK handspun, enuff I think for a sleeve to sleeve sweater, now if I can just come up with something I like pattern wise.

Am still waiting for the Williams Lake glass place to get out here for measurements to replace the window that the bird hit. Very unhappy with this place and will not recommend them to anyone. Its been a month with one trip in to the shop and at least 4 phone calls. The one big piece still attached but moves quite a bit in the wind, am afraid that if it breaks it might do damage to existing inside piece.

Will be getting my snow tires installed this Tuesday while in town then on Wednesday car will go into the shop for 'winter is coming' check, nothing wrong that I know of but will be more comfortable knowing that everything has been checked over.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Finally finished socks going to Vancouver Island, using both hands means patterned socks will be slower than usual (Arthur ritis) is rearing its ugly head, left hand so far is the only problem I'm having.

First thing this morning spent nearly an hour trying to get a skein of yarn to co operate so I could use the ball winder, no way so wound the beast by hand, its one of the colours going into next pair of socks for JR (if she likes what was on the pix I sent this morning), then while fooling around with colours got out what will be for LA in Surrey.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Still waiting for the glass place in Williams Lake to contact me about window, was in once and have phoned now twice with both calls telling me they would get back to me, nada. Poor customer service for sure and if I could go anywhere else would do so in a heartbeat.

With football on the telly over the weekend I finished the first very colorful sock for JR on Vanc Island, and immediately cast on for #2, will use the same main color then switch patterns and colors all around, she wanted flamboyant and fraternal, my idea of fun. More football tonight (am addicted) should finish ribbing and get well along on first patterns, once color starts things seem to move right quick.

Rain the last couple of days (most welcomed) and cold enuff that mountains are dressed now with lots of new snow, can't get a pix this morning as they are all socked in, but pix I took last Wednesday from Parks Hill shows the first dusting they got, lots more now. Environment Canada's weather page for Tatlako show temps in -2 to -3 range (C), usually a bit colder up at my place. Last night had one of the big ugly flying millers in the house, couldn't see where it landed so couldn't dispatch the critter, nothing I hate more than one of them in the house at night.

Hoping I can make it to Knitting Bee this Wednesday, have yarn to bring for Deb to look at, and several other things to do as well, time now to keep gas tank on car full, just never know and since Tatla is only place to buy it might as well fill up while there.

Second batch of soup today, first was chicken w/ rice today's will be a burger vegetable, have local potatoes, carrots, and a smallish turnip, celery, cabbage and the burger is from Meat Market in Wms. Lake, extra lean grass fed, no longer will be buying any meat from big chain grocery stores esp Wally World where most of their pork is coming back here after being handled and packed in China.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Up early Thursday morning to get ready for trip to town, heard a big crash while still getting dressed, thought I had knocked something off the dresser in my bedroom, nope. Once out of bedroom and into living room immediately saw what noise had been, a grouse or something else big has crashed into the middle big window, hard enuff to smash the outside layer of glass, it was a Low E glass window , 2 layers with Argonne gas in between, nothing I could do but carry on into town, first place I went was Lake City Glass, someone will stop in sometime this week, measure and order replacement window.

Stayed in town with friends and first thing Friday morn headed for Farmers Market, except no one had ANY tomatoes, nada, zero. Then checked with Beaver Valley Feed Store and they had a small box of what I would call 3rd quality, have to cut lots off each tomato, barely better than nothing. Everything else went OK on the trip, loaded car at grocery store and left just after noon, home about 10 minutes when school bus dropped off unloader Lucas. Denise had picked up 4 flats of bottled water when it was on sale, so had quite a load, my house water still has funny taste, OK once boiled and for showers but prefer not to drink it. I take all empty water bottles back to town for recycling. After he unloaded car he put in lots of bags of stuff to go to the dump, after that dropped him off at his driveway on the way back home.

Working on first sock of pair going to JR on Vanc Island, dark gray is main colour then lots of colour into the patterns, so far so good, they will be fraternal.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

41°F (5°C) and still raining, hallelujah. Hope it rains steady for the next couple of days. Right now I even have puddles on my driveway. We so badly needed the moisture, fire hazard is dropping by the hour. A good day to stay indoors and attend to my kitchen, will be making chicken soup of some sort, just got carrots yesterday from Selma, can't have soup without carrots, just pulled from her garden 10 or so minutes before I got there.

Found another started sock, just the ribbing and one pattern done, will keep it set aside while I work on the socks for JR on Vanc Island and the other pair of Monstersocks (1st sock nearly to the toe decreases). So many ideas percolating this time of year, days just aren't long enuff.

Cleaned the filter on the back of my wool room electric heater, fired it up this morning, first time its been on since last spring. When I bought it the company had advertised it would run for 10¢ an hour, its been a godsend, propane when I need it costs over 10$ a day, close to $300 a month.

And tonight am hoping I will be able to find the Michigan-Utah football game on the telly.

Monday, August 31, 2015

While looking for a small ball of the chartreuse yarn I just knew I had, found two more pair of socks underway and put aside for who knows why. So once I finished the blue Monsters got going on what I started calling the 5x7's. Finished them while watching football yesterday, then got the next pair out and got down past the heel also last night. And just as soon as it gets a little more done on it will put it aside and start on socks for JR on Vanc Island, two pair ongoing I can handle, will work a little on each until I am happy with progress.

Rain on Friday nowhere near enuff but every little bit helps, then Saturday morning new snow on my mountains, not much but definitely whiter up there than it was. I think the snow up on Niut is the smallest amount since I have lived in Tatlako, the mountains usually are snow capped all summer but not this year. But then was the hottest July & August since records have been kept.

This morning felt like soup weather is going to be happening soon, have chicken in freezer so likely will make a batch of chicken w/ rice yet this week, still have celery and hopefully will be able to get a few carrots while in Tatla on Wednesday. The predicted lows for this week are almost all at 0°C or 32°F, finally sweater weather, much prefer cool weather than the start sweating by 8 am stuff.

Had some of the wind storm that hit Vancouver Saturday and Sunday, not anywhere close to as bad as Vanc got hit, but strong enuff that leaves were blowing out of the trees.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Finally finished the wool-silk mix that I've been working on what seems forever. The famous third go round seems to finally get it right. First sock that I did way back when is being frogged and will be re knit by Christine into something else. I'm really glad to see the end of it. I've just washed them in Eucalan and now on blockers to dry.

Have been emailing the gal getting the next two pair of socks (back to using finer commercial yarn, thankfully), got out the colours or close to what she wants and emailed two pix to her this morning. Likely will find something else once I start knitting that will work into a pattern or two.

The current socks, almost 30 rows down the foot on sock #2, really fraternal. Have tried not to do same patterns in this pair, so far so good.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Need to keep better track of my blog, hadn't realized its been over a week since I posted anything, will try to do better.

The 3rd go round of current socks is finally going well, within 15 rows of the start of the toe decreases, then will wash and dry on blockers before mailing them away.

Next up finished spinning the second bobbin of the brown horribilius, pulled so much kemp and wiry guard hairs out that I was towards the end wondering if it was worth all the trouble. Whatever of that batch of fiber is left will be finding a new home. Have a single bobbin of a wool-silk mix already done in a color that is not my norm to spin PINK, so decided this morning to go ahead and find something that would go with it. A vintage BFL from WoolGatherings, prolly bought at Black Sheep Gathering a few years ago, $15.60 for 8 oz will give you some idea on how old it is. Going to add all the pix at the end of this mess.

The weaver friend is coming today to pick up the rest of the handspun that needs a new home, a Pay it Forward gift. Nothing wrong with the yarn just stuff I no longer want to knit with. One batch is way under plied, another is kinky from being plied to fast, but I understand from another weaver friend that both yarns can be successfully used on the loom.

A friend from Calif just can't understand how I can live in this wild mountain valley by myself so I sent her the Peace within yourself button, she didn't get it. Guess because I don't have a grocery store next door or a WalMart around the corner I can't possibly be content, little does she know.